Material applying dispenser having screw actuated feed

ABSTRACT

It is disclosed herein a novel construction for a device for dispensing and applying paste material having a handle portion and a brush head portion for portion-wise applying such paste material from said brush head, wherein the handle portion is provided with a hollow elongated storage chamber polygonal in inner cross sectional area, said chamber having therein a worm screw for advancing paste-material toward such brush head in a manually controlled way. A shutoff is provided in the flow path toward the fiber-bearing surface of the brush head for controlling the flow of paste material from the aforecited storage chamber.

United States Patent [1 1 Fernandez et a1.

1 June 24, 1975 1 MATERIAL APPLYING DISPENSER HAVING SCREW ACTUATED FEED [22] Filed: Dec. 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 421,725

Vitale 222/553 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 359,525 1938 ltaly 222/390 564.565 1957 Italy 222/390 651,523 10/1928 France 401/172 Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Browdy and Neimark 5 7 ABSTRACT It is disclosed herein a novel construction for a device for dispensing and applying paste material having a handle portion and a brush head portion for portionwise applying such paste material from said brush head. wherein the handle portion is provided with a hollow elongated storage chamber polygonal in inner cross sectional area, said chamber having therein a worm screw for advancing paste-material toward such brush head in a manually controlled way. A shutoff is provided in the flow path toward the fiber-bearing surface of the brush head for controlling the flow of paste material from the aforecited storage chamber.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 24 I975 SHEET PATENTEDJUN24|915 3.891.127 SHEET 2 @QQQQQQQQ MATERIAL APPLYING DISPENSER HAVING SCREW ACTUATED FEED FIELD OF THE INVENTION Broadly, the invention pertains to the field of the paste material applicator devices and more particularly it relates to paste dispensing means as those often used as toilet devices for applying creams such as tooth brushes and shaving brushes, for instance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide paste material dispensing means having incorporated as one unity both the means containing the paste material to be dispensed and the brush head for applying such material. Therefore the device according to the invention affords the advantages for the user of having associate in a single unity both the material and the means for applying the same.

Thus. the device of the invention is particularly advantageous when used in the form of a tooth brush, shaving brush or like devices. The invention will be particularly described in connection with the aforecited uses but it is to be understood that it is not limited to the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The device according to the invention comprises a handle portion attached to the head bearing fibrous material. The handle portion is provided along its longitudinal axis with an elongated chamber polygonal in cross-section. provided in its rear end with a screw cap serving also for rotably supporting and guiding the stern of a worm screw. The worm screw is rotably arranged coaxially with the axis of the elongated chamber and passes through a movable polygonal member having a perimeter so shaped and sized as to slidably fit the inner cross-section of the elongated chamber. Therefore, when rotating the worm screw, maintained longitudinally fixed within the chamber, the polygonal member rotably mounted thereon is prevented from rotating and will be driven along the screw thus serving as a plunger for sweeping material toward the chamber outlet opening. A length of the rear end of the worm stern extends outwardly of the chamber through a circular opening centrally arranged in the cap member. The free end of the outwardly extended length of the worm stem is fixedly provided with a knob by means of which the worm is manually rotated by the user. The innermost end of the worm screw is provided with a stop means for limiting the forward travel of the plunger or movable polygonal member. The knob acts also to prevent longitudinal backward displacement of the worm.

The forward end of the material storage chamber is in flow communication with the outside surface bearing the fibrous material of the head portion through a hollow passage for shutting off the flow of the material when being dispensed.

With the above described novel construction of device for dispensing paste material, the chamber arranged within the device handle is charged with the paste material. and the polygonal member or plunger is located toward the chamber rear end. A screw cap which is provided with a central bore for passing therethrough the rear end portion of the worm stem. is screwed on the thread provided exteriorly or interiorly of the rear open end of said chamber. With such arrangement when the worm screw is clock-wise rotated the plunger member is forwardly driven on and along the worm screw to drive paste material toward the opposed end. When the flow relationship is established through the passage communicating the outside surface bearing fibrous material with the forward end of the storage chamber, the paste material is squeezed therethrough and hence to the fibrous applicator.

In the foregoing it has been mentioned that the storage chamber is polygonal in cross-section. This configuration avoids the free slippage of the plunger member around the inner side wall of the chamber thus allowing the plunger to travel along the worm screw. It is to be noted, however, that the plunger slippage around the chamber inner side wall may be prevented when using a circular cross-section therefor, whenever longitudinal guiding ribs or slots be arranged along the inner side wall of said chamber. Such an arrangement will allow the plunger member be forwardly guided prevented from rotating within the chamber. A square crosssection is suitable but the hexagonal cross-section may be preferred for the chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective longitudinal cross-sectional view along a tooth brush embodying the novel construction of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view along the head of tooth brush of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view taken along line aa in FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view taken along line bb, looking in the direction of the arrow;

FIG. 5 is a broken-away, partially in section perspective view of a shaving brush constructed according to the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a detail of the engagement of the applying head onto its handle in the shaving brush of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view taken along line VII- -VII in FIG. 6, viewing in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS, INCLUDING PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 4, the reference numeral 14 generally shows a tooth brush handle integrally provided with a fiber-bearing head 3. An elongated chamber 10 for storing tooth paste is interiorly arranged along the handle 14, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Chamber 14 is illustrated in the drawing as having square cross-section for the sake of simplicity in the drawing. Axially housed within the chamber 14 is a worm screw 8 the rear end portion of its smooth shaft is journaled on the central bore provided in the screw cap 12. The rearmost portion of the stem of the worm extends through the bore 12 outwardly from the chamber wherein is fixedly provided with the knob 13 from which the screw 8 is manually rotated. As hereinabove mentioned, in the embodiment depicted the chamber 10 is square in cross section. Accordingly, in the embodiment shown, a plunger member 9 of square perimeter, sized so as to snugly fit within the chamber 10, is centrally and threadably mounted on the worm screw 8 so as to travel therealong when said screw is rotated. In this way, when the plunger 9 travels toward the inner end of the chamber 10, its contents are forwardly driven. The innermost end of the screw 8 is provided with of a stop means 7 for limiting the stroke of the plunger member 9. The knob 13, for rotating the screw 8, by suitable means, not shown, acts also to prevent the backward sliding of the screw 8. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, the chamber 10 by its rear end communicates with a circular internally threaded opening 11 suitable for threadably receiving the screw portion of the screw cap 12 for thus closing the chamber 10. Of course, a cap 12 might be coupled to the handle 14 by means of a thread exteriorly arranged on its rear end portion.

The front end of the chamber 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, communicates with the elongated passage of the sleeve 16 which in turn is rotably and snugly lodged within the axial bore arranged throughout the portion head 2 of the tooth brush. The exposed end of the sleeve 16 is provided with a knob 1 through which rotation can manually be applied to the sleeve 16; the end of the sleeve protruding into the chamber is fixedly provided with the retaining means 6 which engages against the front end wall of the chamber 10, for the purpose to prevent the sleeve 16 from sliding out of its place.

The aforecited axial bore extending through the head 2 opens to the surface bearing fibers 3 through the side opening 4. The side wall of the sleeve 16 is provided with a bore 18 arranged so as to be brought into register with the side opening 4 when the sleeve is turned by means of the knob 1 in the required amount. With such arrangement, when the bore 18 is put into register with the opening 4, flow path is established from the storage chamber 10, through the passageway 5 in the sleeve 16, and then to the fiber-bearing surface in the cleaning head 2.

With the closed chamber 10 charged with paste material, and the plunger member 9 in position for starting driving paste material from the rear end, when manually rotating the worm screw 8 in clock-wise direction, said plunger 9 is forwardly advanced along the screw thus driving the chamber contents to its front end, and hence through passage 5, the registering openings 18 and 4 and finally to the fibrous material 3. In this way the desired portion of the chamber contents is applied in response to the rotating motion the user applies on the knob 13, while the stream flow is allowed, by turning the sleeve to delivery position by properly acting on the knob 1. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the sleeve 2 is shown in relationship of flow of paste material toward the cleaning head.

With reference to FIG. 5 there is shown by the reference numeral 1' the handle of a shaving brush or like dispensing device according to another alternative construction embodying the principles of the invention. A brush head 2', bearing fibers 3' for instance, is operatively engaged by means of a coupler member 14 to the handle 1. An elongated chamber 4', square in inner cross-sectional area (FIG. 7), is centrally arranged within the handle 1. Axially housed within the chamber 4' is a worm screw 5, a rear smooth portion 7 of which extends through a central bore provided in the cap 6', and said portion 7' has its outwardly protruding end tightly fitted into the hole 26 provided in the knob 8'.

With further reference to FIG. 5, the square chamber 4 opens in its rear end into a circular internally threaded opening 11 suitable for threadably receiving the screw portion 12' of cap 8 for thus closing the chamber 4 at its rear end. At its front end the chamber 4 terminates in a narrower axial cylindrical opening 27 defining a circular shouldered portion 28 with said chamber 4. There is provided in the shoulder 28 an angular passage laterally opening at 13 and downwardly opening at 24, such passage being provided for the purpose to be described below.

The rear portion 7' of the worm screw 5 is loosely extended through the bore 25 in the cap 6' so that said worm 5 can manually be rotated from the knob 8' when acting so thereon. The knob 8' is prevented from backward sliding away from the cap 6' by suitable means, not shown.

A plunger member 9, of correspondingly square perimeter is so sized as to slidably fit against the inner side walls of the chamber 4'. The worm screw 5' threadably mounts the plunger member 9' so that this is movable around and along screw 5'. When screw 5' is rotated in the assembly the plunger 9' will travel along chamber 4 mounted on said screw, so that in its forward stroke the plunger sweeps the chamber contents toward the front end thereof. The innermost end of screw 5 is provided with a stop means 10 for limiting thereon the stroke of plunger 9'.

Still with reference to FIG. 5, a coupler member generally illustrated at 14 is lodged within the front end of chamber 4'. The coupler 14' has a cylindrical body from the lower end of which extends a circumferencial bead 23 and a square hub 16 is provided at its upper end. An angular passage laterally opening at 15 and upwardly opening at 22 (FIGS. 5 and 6) is arranged within the coupler member 14'. As shown in the detail of FIG. 6, a square recess 17' is provided in the underside of the head 2 so sized as to tightly receive the square hub 16' of the coupler member 14. Centrally running through head 2 is arranged a passage opening. at 19 on its fiber bearing surface and which opens at 18 in its square recess 17'.

For assembling, the coupler 14 is passed through the opening 27 and the bead 23 engages against the underside of shoulder 28 and its protruding square hub 16 is push fitted within the recess 17 so that the brush head 2 is coupled on the upper end of the handle 1', so that said head 2 remains rotably seated on its place. In the assembled device the side opening 15 of the passage within the coupler 14 may be brought to register with the side opening 13 of the passage arranged within the shoulder 28 of the handle 1', when the head 2' is suitably rotated. Therefore a continuous flow path can be established from chamber 4 through opening 24, the registering openings 13 and 15, and from opening 22, through the central passage running through head 2 for finally opening at 19in the element for applying the contents. The hub 21 protruding from the fiber-bearing surface may be used to extend therealong the delivery opening into fibrous applying material.

Here again, with latter described arrangement, with the closed chamber 4 charged with the material to be dispensed, and the plunger member 9' in position for starting driving paste material from the rear end, when manually rotating the worm screw 5' in clock-wise direction, said plunger is forwardly advanced in running fit along the inside side walls of the chamber 4 thus driving its contents toward its front end and hence through the above described angular passage when openings 13' and 15 are brought into register into the fibrous material 3'. In this way the desired portion of the chamber contents is applied as a result of the amount of rotation the user applies on the knob 8', while the stream flow path is allowed by properly turning the head 2' to its delivery position.

Preferred embodiments of the invention have hereinabove described. Changes and modifications. however. may be made within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. The construction of a device for dispensing and applying paste material, comprising:

a, a handle portion having a hollow chamber polygonal in cross-sectional area axially arranged along said handle, said chamber having a narrower axial cylindrical opening in its front end so defining a circumferential shouldered portion on said chamber, being it provided through said shoulder portion an angular passage with a leg thereof rearwardly opening into said chamber and with its other leg laterally opening toward said narrower cylindrical opening;

a coupling member having a polygonal hub portion at its front end. which coupling member is lodged and rotably retained within said narrower cylindrical opening with said polygonal hub portion protruding from the front end surface of said handle a head portion for applying paste material having an axially arranged passage therethrough, the underside of which head portion is provided with a polygonal recess into which is push fitted said polygonal hub in said coupler member for rotably coupling said head portion on the front surface of said handle portion;

d. a worm screw axially housed within said polygonal cross-sectional chamber, the rear end portion of said worm screw being rotably supported through a central opening in said cap member and with its exposed end being provided with an engaged element preventing the backward sliding of said worm screw and which allows the rotation thereof; and

. a plunger member, having correspondingly polygonal perimeter, being centrally and threadably mounted on said worm screw for travelling therealong in running fit along the inner side walls of said chamber, with the forward stroke of said plunger member being limited by a stop means fixedly provided on the front end of said screw. 

1. The construction of a device for dispensing and applying paste material, comprising: a. a handle portion having a hollow chamber polygonal in crosssectional area axially arranged along said handle, said chamber having a narrower axial cylindrical opening in its front end so defining a circumferential shouldered portion on said chamber, being it provided through said shoulder portion an angular passage with a leg thereof rearwardly opening into said chamber and with its other leg laterally opening toward said narrower cylindrical opening; b. a coupling member having a polygonal hub portion at its front end, which coupling member is lodged and rotably retained within said narrower cylindrical opening with said polygonal hub portion protruding from the front end surface of said handle portion, an angular passage being provided through said coupling member, with said angular passage being formed with an axially directed leg and the other leg thereof laterally opens at the same plane as does it the laterally opening leg of said passage provided through said shouldered portion; c. a head portion for applying paste material having an axially arranged passage therethrough, the underside of which head portion is provided with a polygonal recess into which is push fitted said polygonal hub in said coupler member for rotably coupling said head portion on the front surface of said handle portion; d. a worm screw axially housed within said polygonal crosssectional chamber, the rear end portion of said worm screw being rotably supported through a central opening in said cap member and with its exposed end being provided with an engaged element preventing the backward sliding of said worm screw and which allows the rotation thereof; and e. a plunger member, having correspondingly polygonal perimeter, being centrally and threadably mounted on said worm screw for travelling therealong in running fit along the inner side walls of said chamber, with the forward stroke of said plunger member being limited by a stop means fixedly provided on the front end of said screw. 